Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2007 > August > 09 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USLong-timer feels Gwinnett has hit the skids
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This column was supposed to be about Smitty Highsmith, a Snellville retiree who handcrafts wooden portraits of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq as appreciative tokens for their families.
Unfortunately, Mr. Highsmith took ill late Tuesday and called to cancel Wednesday’s visit by the Badie Tour. We’ll reschedule.
For today, I have Joe Nieves, an AJC Gwinnett News reader, to thank for a column topic that probably concerns many people with a local ZIP code.
Nieves of Duluth has lived in the county for nearly three decades. In the past 10 years or so, though, he barely notices the county he fell in love with.
Call it the “too much/too many syndrome.”
Too many people, too much crime, too much traffic, too much of a decline in quality of life, he wrote in an e-mail.
“My God, so soon a county goes down the drain. … That breaks my heart.”
Makes him mad, too.
“I blame the politicians for all that goes wrong,” he continued. ” … Property values drop due to the gangs, people not caring about their homes and people selling cheap.”
I moved here from Orlando in 1997. That year, Gwinnett and its unincorporated communities had 11 murders. Last year, there were 40 homicides, a figure that may well be broken given the current pace.
Lee, my brother, lives on the south side of Atlanta. Whenever we talk, the subject of Gwinnett’s crime usually comes up.
“There’s always something going on in Gwinnett,” he says. “Always in the news.”
When I speak to civic groups, I invariably get asked for my take on the county — where it’s going. I struggle. It’s hard to peer into the future and see roses when so much of the current news begets thorns.
“Gwinnett County is NOT GREAT,” wrote Nieves, who used capital letters. “The sign should come down from the water towers.”
You tell me: Is Mr. Nieves overreacting or on point?
• Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com.
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Comments
By delois
August 9, 2007 8:53 AM | Link to this
We’ve been in Gwinnett for 20 years after living in Houston for 15 years prior to that. Our number one priority for a retirement place now is to find somewhere that is not growing out of control. Recently, we found an ATM in a town in Tennessee that didn’t ask you if you wanted English or Spanish and that town has now moved to the top of our retirement list but we have to keep it our little secret.
By LT5000
August 9, 2007 9:11 AM | Link to this
Well, Gwinnett is finally reacting to the problem by setting up a CID, enforcing code violations, stopping contractors from hiring illegals and Hopefully limiting the number of people per house.
Gwinnett sat back and foolishly thought Jorge Bush, INS, ICE and Homeland security would do something about the illegal immigrant invasion.
Of course, enforcing the law only leads to our local Latino community “Leaders” calling everyone a racist. Never dealing with the real issues.
I just bought a place in Norcross and I hope it turns around. I do my part by calling in code violations and the cops whenever there is trouble, but I would still like to see a little more pro-active policing.
LT5000
By robistiredofthis
August 9, 2007 9:26 AM | Link to this
I feel for this person who retired and counted on the system to maintain law and order where he did so. It will not get any better. The GATEWAY CRIME of illegal invasion brings additional, more violent crimes with gangs, similar to gateway drugs. Do you believe the police forces are SOOOOO niave they do not know this too? Think about it, some laws are “TOO HARD TO ENFORCE”. The AJC just printed another story about the racial changes being made in the population of this specific area. Not being a racist, I always hear “Latino” groups saying targeting criminal activities to clean up an area is targeting only illegals. Their words not mine. Are they saying all illegals are involved in crimial activities? Well I guess they are right, even the best illegal invader is breaking at least 1 law.
By Bruce Wilcox
August 9, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this
We blame the commissioners for it and rightly so, they remind me of the CEO’s of the American auto makers, they never seen the changes until it was too late.
Now this I can never understand, the population of Gwinnett explodes to around 700,000 and we still have the same number of commissioners as when it was dinky town USA?
Bring up the subject of adding a couple of commissioners and the screams of “our commissioners are doing a wonderful job” drown out any common sense approach?
Some say that it’s fear that Southern Gwinnett may actually elect a Democrat and who wants to risk that when the Republicans have been doing such a wonderful job?
Like the commissioners, when the voters finally wake up it will be too little, too late.
By Pablo
August 9, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this
Back on the actual topic, good government is only part of the solution, but bigger is definitely not better, just more expensive and even slower to respond. Citizen involvement is what is sorely lacking - the better among our commissioners happen to agree with that, while the not-so-good ones do not. I think I see a pattern there. Anyway, I wonder what the latino advocacy groups have done to explain things (our existing laws and customs, for example) to their “own”. They appear ready to bring lawsuits at the drop of a sombrero, but not terribly anxious to help the “melting pot” process happen. Maybe there’s a story there, Rick!
By Michael H. Smith
August 9, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this
Can’t say if we share the exact same prospective in every degree Pablo but I’ll be back later when my time allows for further elaboration. Otherwise, right on hermano!
By LT5000
August 9, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this
Here comes Bruce. He likes to blame the store owner for being robbed. After all, why did he have to open that store in the first place? This idiot never stops.
I think we all remember when Brucie was screaming that the immigration bill should be passed and that the commisioners shouldn’t be punishing employers of illegals.
Gwinnett, like the rest of Georgia, experienced amazing growth. Our more than lax border security allowed millions of illegals to “sneak” into the country.
False identification and lazy/cheap construction companies gave these people jobs. A few phone calls later and the barrio of Mexico City arrived in Georgia. Unfortunately, assimilation is the last thing on their Corona addled brains.
These people don’t care what Gwinnett looks like. After a few years, they will be on the next ADAME bus back to Mexico to enjoy their American money.
Let’s speed up the process by creating a hostile environment in Gwinnett for illegals.
LT5000
By Laura
August 9, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this
I really used to love living in Gwinnett. I loved my home, my neighborhood, where I shopped.
I am so very tired of what has happened here-and I am afraid the direction we are going is not going to change anytime soon. I cannot begin to tell you how many beautiful areas I have seen clear cut, bulldozed, and turned into yet another strip shopping center. I am concerned about going to the corner store after dark because of the “element” hanging around outside.
The other thing - I would never have called myself a racist. But careful observation has shown me that, once a neighborhood becomes more “diverse,” the neighborhood loses its charm (not to mention its value). Who wants to live where people park 6-8 cars to a driveway, crowd the curbs and lawns with even more vehicles, and act like they don’t care what their house looks like?? I walked my dog the other evening and wished I had stayed home with all the stares I got from the “diverse” people in their driveways.
And if you think Gwinnett really cares about enforcing codes, forget about it. The lady running a restaurant out of her garage around the corner has had no problems.
By Bruce Wilcox
August 9, 2007 1:02 PM | Link to this
LT dream on, you would like to believe that we will make it so tough for them they’ll all go home, right, to what, a place that offered nothing to begin with?
LT’s head in the clouds feel good laws, “the commisioners shouldn’t be punishing employers of illegals.”, let me know when they raid a Snell Construction job site and demand to see his records.
The Immigration Bill should have passed then at least we could have taxed them and know who they are. But now you can boo-hoo for at least the next two years for doing nothing about it.
Finally after six years of the invasion one commissioner has finally figured out what a single family house is, but he knew about ballparks.
I like this from another, “bigger is definitely not better,” how do you know? That’s like saying we need bigger classes in our schools so we can save on hiring teachers.
LT face reality, cheap labor trumps the law, supply and demand. Create a hostile environment, didn’t the South try that before?
By not so great anymore
August 9, 2007 1:35 PM | Link to this
Joe Neives hit the nail on the head. Gwinnett is not so great any more and it is a direct reflection of our government letting us down. It feels like we now live in East LA. The county is being over run by Illegal immigrants who are unwilling to assimilate to our way of life. They are her ILLEGALLY and we don;t do anything about it. Heck you could have the INS camp out a QUICK TRIP every morning over a week and deport a good portion. Once nice Neighborhoods are turning into slums, crime is up, and God forbid you should need to use the hospital emergency room. Look at the progression of deteriorating areas, Lilburn, Norcross, Duluth, Lawrenceville. I had to flee Lawrenceville from a home I loved to get away from it. Buford you are next.
By AW
August 9, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this
I’ve lived in Gwinnett for 15 years and boy has it really gone downhill. I understand about the cars, Laura. I have the same problem except there are Semi trucks in my sub-division. Nothing like 5 cars, a work truck and a Semi in the driveway. Nothing like waking to the house shaking as that big rig creeps up the hill in front of my house in the morning. Violating ordinances? I’ll bet they are. But no one cares. All the neighbors that did care, left and it’s not a race thing although I think for the most part, it is. My latino neighbor keeps his lawn perfecto..but the guy next to him? No way. I don’t even think he knows what a lawn mower is but boy has he got the market cornered on vans with 5,000 ladders tied to it. That’s the way they judge status in my neck of the woods. The more ladders, the better off you are. What can one do? Sell your home? Who’d buy it? Maybe I should move down the street where you too can have a quarter million dollar home backing up to the railroad tracks…woo hoo!!
By AW
August 9, 2007 1:52 PM | Link to this
…oh and by the way if you want to know when my negative view of Gwinnett came around- it started the day after the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office had a dozen or so deputies run through my backyard with shotguns drawn.
By Pam
August 9, 2007 2:12 PM | Link to this
AW,
Did you report the semi in the driveway? How about the neighbor with the uncut lawn? All of those are violations, why didn’t you report it? Why not?
We need to stop sitting back and complaining. Take action in your community. I don’t have $200K to waste. I’m protecting my investment and it’s paid off.
By Sandy_G
August 9, 2007 2:24 PM | Link to this
Gwinnett’s out-of-control growth is truly amazing. County commissioners, county planners (not), DOT, State representatives, etc. should all be blamed. They have missed countless opportunities to make Gwinnett’s growth directed, managed and “smart” but chose instead to rubber stamp every new development that came their way without a thought as to what the effect would be when 100’s of those developments stood side-by-side.
We have, in our county, a road system based on farm roads and cow paths. Subdivision streets that all end in culdesacs are great for kids to ride their bikes, but contribute to a complete gridlock of traffic when all of those residents try to pile onto the one and only thru street to get to work or school.
Lax development standards and a propensity by our County Commissioners to “trust” developers to provide a good “product” have stripped the county of vegetation and attracted every contractor and developer in the metro area looking to make a quick buck with no thought of what types of “communities” they were building.
Those same contractors brought with them illegal immigrants as labor and these new “communities” which soon began to look rather seedy, attracted more illegal immigrants because Gwinnett had plenty of under-the-table construction jobs and plenty of “cheap” housing.
All of this has continued to go on and on while residents have complained and the county government pretends that life in Gwinnett is just “business as usual” while established neighborhoods deteriorate into crime-ridden slums, our school system is rapidly going down the tubes and traffic has become a deterent to new businesses.
I also blame the citizens of Gwinnett who ran at the first sign of minorities moving into their neighborhoods. Neighborhoods and cities can absorb small numbers of people from different cultures and maintain their character and can be improved and made more vital by the injection of new customs and culture. However, when the majority of the population of a community is replaced by another culture, there’s no “melting pot” affect and no assimilation. We do ourselves, our neighborhoods and our new neighbors a disservice when we move away. We have an opportunity to teach and to assist people from other countries to adopt our American customs but that won’t happen until we stop running!
We have to face the fact that this is a new day in Gwinnett and we have to participate, not flee. I thought Americans were supposed to be tough? What has happened to us when we allow our own government to let us down so dramatically and we just continually pack our bags and move away to the outer edge of the controversy? The Americans I grew up with didn’t run from a fight, they waded in up to their hips!
If you want YOUR government to act, then you have to stand up, open your mouth, send emails, send letters, make phone calls, attend county meetings and TAKE BACK YOUR COUNTY! Until you are willing to do that, you HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN.
By LB
August 9, 2007 2:29 PM | Link to this
Gwinnett used to be Great! Moved here over 19 years ago. My problem is the voters said very loud we wanted a change with the Commissioners. So, we got 3 new ones. But when they got in they kept the old guard! So guess who’s running the show - still the old guard! What’s a voter to do?
By Gwinnettian4life
August 9, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this
I have lived in Gwinnett for 33 years. The two bigges complaints I have are the endless strip malls and decline in property values. I was shocked a few years ago to learn that the once affluent Shiloh district had fallen to the multi-family level.
By WBJ
August 9, 2007 8:47 PM | Link to this
Each subdivision/neighborhood should have a committee that monitors violations from residents. This could be a home owners association, or a committee by another name. Set up meetings in your neighborhood, get to know who you neighbors are, if you don’t know already. Set the tone for adherence with respect to lawn maintenance, noise levels, numbers of residence in a given home, etc. Maybe, just maybe, things will turn around, especially if the police department, Board of Commissioners are inundated with reports from these committees. Sometimes being a nuisance gets results.
By Bruce Wilcox
August 10, 2007 12:42 AM | Link to this
New article tonight how crime is down in Gwinnett Village, it will take time but it is nice to see some good news.
By grob
August 10, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this
Kudos to Sandy!!! We do need to stop running and take control of our communities. We should know by now that the governing agencies ARE NOT going to do anything about the illeagals, crime,etc. If so, we would not be posting the comments,but rather living the decent life that we keep being promised in Gwinnett Co. Aren’t kick-backs great? Let’s do what we can, within legal limits, to protect what we have, because “Gwinnexico” is going down hill, but;” Together we stand, divided we fall.”
By Mrs. Wells
August 10, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this
Mr. Badie, I must reply to your article about our county and its current status. I must agree with Mr. Nieves. Our once beautiful county, it busting at the seams!! another articel same paper same day from METRO Gwinnett lead area in diversity growth!! No one minds growth and diversity, but in gwinnett county both have long since passed what any other surround county has had to endure. Traffic and Crime are what most of our neighbors have moved to the edge of this county to avoid dealing with. The schools are jammed packed, areas are going down due to closed strip malls, everywhere. What was once a lovely area in lawrenceville and grayson is being destroyed to build yet more houses, and strip malls or drug stores across the street from one another. I know many people who have decided just to move back into downtown Atlanta, as it seems all the problems of downtown have moved to the country and really there isn’t any country left anymore. Diversity and growth are only good, if you have a plan how to handle the added growth to an already busting at the seems county. As for me and my family we just moved a year ago out to Grayson to avoid this same problem, and obviously made a poor choice, still too much growth and no control by the government officials or county to control such… I will be moving to elberton soon to escapee this mess.
By Coopie
August 10, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this
Rick, thank you for your columns & tours. You have truly opened eyes to the problems that many residents of Gwinnett have been complaining about for some time now. Sandy_G, we totally agree with you about standing up & taking back our county. We, without placing our family in danger, report, patrol neighborhoods and communicate with neighbors who have the same interest & motivation toward resolving issues that are destroying our quality of life here. Can’t tell you that it is a easy task, but this is how it is today and if you don’t take a stand, think of what it’s going to be like in the coming years.
By Laura
August 10, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this
On of the earlier readers suggested reporting the neighbor with the semi. To what end? If Gwinnett government was truly enforcing the codes, the complaints I have made would have been tended to. Instead, I still have the neighbors with the multitude of trucks and cars in the yard, the driveway and on the street. I still have the lady who runs a restaurant out of her garage. I still have the neighbor at the front of the subdivison who has cut down every bush in his front yard to make more room for parking. You have no idea the obstacle course I drive every day just to get to my house.
By Doyle
August 10, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this
The public elementary school near me has gone from 10% free lunch to 50% free lunch in the last 5 years. English as a second language percentages have skyrocketed. Test scores have being falling at the same time, and real estate values have followed the test scores down. Gwinnett county is going to learn the hard truth - that cheap labor only looks cheap in the short run. Turning Gwinnett county into a third world country may be great if you’re Wayne Hill and all you care about is development and $$$, but Gwinnett sucks to live in now. I still remember when Gwinnett Place Mall was a nice place to shop, now you have to go up to Mall of Georgia to feel like you are in America.
By Doyle
August 10, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this
The public elementary school near me has gone from 10% free lunch to 50% free lunch in the last 5 years. English as a second language percentages have skyrocketed. Test scores have being falling at the same time, and real estate values have followed the test scores down. Gwinnett county is going to learn the hard truth - that cheap labor only looks cheap in the short run. Turning Gwinnett county into a third world country may be great if you’re Wayne Hill and all you care about is development and $$$, but Gwinnett sucks to live in now. I still remember when Gwinnett Place Mall was a nice place to shop, now you have to go up to Mall of Georgia to feel like you are in America.
By Michael H. Smith
August 10, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this
As promised Pablo a timely return to take up the very issue of your concern that caught my eye: The Latino Advocacy Groups.
Here is one organization, not really sure it focuses on being Hispanic or Latino as much as it centers on being American, which is exactly the prospective that is needed.
http://www.dontspeakforme.org/
I have to admit I really like this guy Col. Al Rodriguez. In my mind he is truly a GREAT AMERICAN.
The socio-ethnocentric groups are doing nothing but dividing America and Americans in this country, for all the usual vile reasons that such groups exist: Separatism and supremacism.
A departure from the Americanism meant mold this country into one has put the nation and this county on the skids. Unfortunately the political party of united dividers had rather bypass the crucible that melts all into one and answer to such bigotry as: Are you black enough, are you Spanish speaking enough?
Well, any candidate who would answer such a question in any ancestral pandering manner other than “I am American enough to represent all Americans”, is unfit to hold elected office in this country and most certainly should never hold the highest office of the Presidency.
The district 4 commission seat will be open and I’m looking for a candidate who is American enough to restore the traditional American values that best represents the interests and the highest virtues of America.
By By not so great anymore
August 10, 2007 1:12 PM | Link to this
One of the problems in this county is voter apathy. When you hold a local election and only 10% of the population shows up (even less for a run off) the other 90 % have no right to complain. People need to get off their butts and vote these clowns out. It looks like one Commissioner is standing up to HER campaign promises and trying to do what is right for the county.She may be in fact running for the Chair poition and would appear to be someone we can count on.
By By not so great anymore
August 10, 2007 1:12 PM | Link to this
One of the problems in this county is voter apathy. When you hold a local election and only 10% of the population shows up (even less for a run off) the other 90 % have no right to complain. People need to get off their butts and vote these clowns out. It looks like one Commissioner is standing up to HER campaign promises and trying to do what is right for the county.She may be in fact running for the Chair position and would appear to be someone we can count on.
By MJK
August 10, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this
I’ve been in Gwinnett since ‘92 and I love it here more now than I did when I arrived.
I love hearing different languages, visiting different ethnic restaurants, and seeing how much my kids are learning from their friends about different cultures. I imagine this must have been what is was like in the late 1800’s with the waves of European immigrants that “invaded” at that time. I suspect each new immigrant was able to assimilate in his/her own time and in his/her own way and I suspect that will happen again.
By Laura
August 10, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
The real problem is that, over time, we have made Gwinnett county attractive to the illegials and the criminals. Now here they come - and here they plan to stay. We are screwed.
Voter apathy? I wish it were that easy. We got mass transit, which eventually brought with it a lower social and economic class. We have construction everywhere, which reportedly brings in the illegial workers. And when the county government tries to get a backbone with the contractors, the racist card gets played, threats get made, and everybody backs off and plays nice.
( BTW -I’m sorry but I don’t understand how being against illegials means I am a racist. I am against people who make a life of breaking the law.)
By Akagi
August 10, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this
MJK:
In the late 1800s, the immigrants were legally allowed to enter the country. Today we have millions that basically ignore the law and come inside the US no matter what the law says.
Do you really like seeing MS13 and other various gang signs around? Do you like seeing 10 people living in a house meant for 4? Seeing your property values sink like a stone? Crime go through the roof—how many homicides has Gwinnett had this year?
Oh and the cost of educating the children of the illegals as well as the cost of treating them in the ER. And unlike 1800, some 70% off these so-called immigrants come from just two countries—both speaking Spanish. Is it good to have millions coming from a single culture.
I decided such things weren’t good and left. And by the way, we speak three languages in my house. I favor immigration—but illegal entry is not immigration and something like 67% of the Hispanics in this state are not immigrants, but rather illegal aliens.
By Gary O
August 10, 2007 6:47 PM | Link to this
4th generation Gwinnett County native. We got out because of the crime, rampant building, gangs, and everything else associated with poor quality of life.
By Bruce Wilcox
August 10, 2007 9:38 PM | Link to this
Hey bush today said he was going to crack down on illegals and those who hire them. He plans on adding more border agents and increasing the fines for those who employ illegals.
What he hasn’t said yet is this is only part of the plan, this will soften up the Republicans enough to pass his original plan of giving those who are here the fast track to citizenship.
By tom b
August 11, 2007 12:20 AM | Link to this
After 29 years we ESCAPED Gwinnett. A once beautiful, peaceful place to raise families has been ruined by the influx of unskilled, uneducated whites, illegals from Mexico, and the refuse from Dekalb County (after they had ruined that once-desirable locale). We were told when Gwinnett was first “discovered” by this trash it would be good for everyone; we would all benefit from the growth to come. It appears the only people to benefit are the theives, drug dealers, gangs, and other low-lifes who were welcomed by the do-nothing county officials. Aparment complexes were built with no regard to the type of residents they would bring -trasients with no sense of community or home.
I have no doubt Gwinnett will continue to rot - just look at the past 10 years. I only the freinds we left can also escape.
By GaryO
August 11, 2007 7:43 AM | Link to this
My advice: Move. Not going to tell you where it is but it is SWEET.
By Michael H. Smith
August 11, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this
Hey, Bush put no money behind his mouth. The Demo-Amnesty-Crats put on a poor act in concert, and cried like babies to help their President cover his liberal elitist arse. But hey, nobody with half a brain is buying a lying word of this new shamnesty scheme. So here’s a message to all the guest worker Amnesticrats of both parties in Congress and in every State who may be listening in on the illegal alien hotline, trying to connect America with their illegal alien constituency:
Push one for defeat, push two for deportation!
By Bruce Wilcox
August 11, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this
Deportation, funny no one, including Lou Dobbs, ever comes up with the how do you remove 12 million illegals or what the cost will be? Bur with the bush-conserapug-chickenhawk war, money never seems to be a problem.
Offer up the simple solution, forget the complexities.
By Michael H. Smith
August 11, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this
Many ones including Lou Dobbs certainly have offered up the simple solutions to removing 12 to 20 million illegal aliens in this country.
Forget the useless chatter and phony straw-man arguments.
By luckysnp
August 11, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this
Gwinnett has elected developers to the comission for 35 years. What do you expect them to do? Limit development? They build, take the cash and run.
By code violation web form!
August 11, 2007 8:25 PM | Link to this
Try this link if you want to just report a code violation in Gwinnett County from the comfort of your computer.
http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/cgi-bin/gwincty/egov/ep/gcNavView.do?path=Departments%7CPlanning+%26+Development%7CForms%7CCode+Violation+Reporting+Form
You’ll notice that it isn’t mandatory to give your own address. And judging by the disclaimer at the bottom re: Georgia Open Records Act, I’d probably do it anonymously unless you don’t care if the violator knows who called him in. I would assume that people who commit lots of code violations are more likely to stalk and beat/kill a person who called them in, but I am generalizing ;) Here’s another reason not to: I made a mistake in Hall County asking for info about how to report code violations and ended up receiving a few myself. Don’t know if it was a misunderstanding by the CEO or meant to teach me a lesson not to bother him with complaints, but I corrected the problems (turns out you can’t store a classic car in your carport without a current registration, even though it is in process of being repaired and isn’t driven—who knew?) Also, you can’t store anything under your eave by your house if it is even remotely visible from someone else’s property.
Anyway, report away! Spread the URL to all your coworkers and friends. Tell your neighbors. Post it on other blogs, etc…maybe it will do some good. Let’s use the pyramid scheme in our favor.
http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/cgi-bin/gwincty/egov/ep/gcNavView.do?path=Departments%7CPlanning+%26+Development%7CForms%7CCode+Violation+Reporting+Form
By Michael
August 11, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this
If the commissioners wanted to STOP the downfall of this county they would put a 4 year end to ALL development. But Kennery and the rest of the crooks are evil and dont care.
By Celynn
August 12, 2007 1:23 AM | Link to this
I can identify with the despair others here have expressed about the downhill slide of Gwinnett County. When we first moved here a decade ago, it seemed like a little piece of heaven. Quiet, family-oriented neighborhood, neat and trim, if not huge and expensive homes. Our neighborhood now has several boarding homes which are supposed to be one-family homes. I do commend the Gwinnett County police. Every time we call them, they respond fairly quickly. The problem is that there are too many times we need to call. Our neighbor in one of the boarding homes was exposing himself at the front upstairs window of his house the other day, in full view of several children who were riding bikes along our street. The police came, but didn’t arrest anyone. Probably hard to find evidence, since we didn’t take a picture. It’s disgusting and disheartening. A few weeks ago, another group of adults rented the house next to ours. Loud, loud music every day and night. My husband politely asked them twice to turn the music down. He then put his request in writing. Finally he had to call the police. Very discouraging. Not sure how much longer we can keep up our resolve not to let the creeps drive us away.
By recent escapee
August 12, 2007 6:59 AM | Link to this
We just left Gwinnett after 27 years. Raised three kids there. The move felt much like an escape. The quality of life has greatly diminished. We lived in three different subdivisions over the years and as the diversity of neighborhoods increased the amount of neighborhood fellowship decreased. The gated community we most recently lived in cancelled last year’s Christmas party due to lack of participation. Twenty years ago, our neighborhood Christmas party, Halloween party, Memorial Day cookout, etc. were highlights of the year. Today, that neighborhood HOA does nothing more than maintain the entrance sign.
Diversity hasn’t opened doors. It’s closed and locked them.
Gwinnett is not the same, not as good, and certainly no longer great.
It’s a shame, but we’re happy to be out.
By Lee
August 12, 2007 8:31 AM | Link to this
The other day, I read an AJC article where Gwinnette is on the verge of becoming a majority minority county. You also read some blurbs about the rising crime rate in Gwinnette.
Coincidence? I don’t think so.
This is not a new phenomenom. We saw it back in the 60’s and 70’s when blacks began to move into cities causing the resultant “white flight.” Crime rates began to soar in direct correlation to the racial makeup of the cities.
What you are seeing in Gwinnette is the same scenario being played out.
There are numerous articles on this subject. Of course, whenever someone mentions race and crime in the same article, they immediately get called a racist. I’m sure some dimwitted apologist will call me one here.
Tell you what, the Department of Justice publishes a Uniform Crime Report, which breaks crime down by race. If you don’t want to wade through the raw data, Google “The Color of Crime.” Very interesting and insightful read.
Also explains perfectly what is happening in our cities and counties such as Gwinnette.
By Lee
August 12, 2007 8:45 AM | Link to this
Here is a link to the DOJ site which lists crime statistics:
Department of Justice Crime Statistics
By Bruce Wilcox
August 12, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this
The problem with those stats is that Latinos are considered white. It would not show the new minoritity as a seperate statisic. Add Asians to the mix too, they also have gangs. It is really unfair and a distortion of the true picture.
By Michael H. Smith
August 12, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this
This probably belongs on the other blog, though, now it is made apropos to this one.
Majority minority, now there is a wonderful example, as the AJC Editorial Board has it, of “The Objective Truth”. Formerly known as speaking “Politically Correct”.
Watch out whitey the minority is taking over!
Oops… make that the “minorities” are taking over. Oh well, maybe that is not “Reality Correct” either, in this odious little game of continental assignments where the Europeans still out number any other single continentally divided grouped people.
Poor United Dividers, it looks like they lose again. And the pain of it all Ms. Cynthia Tucker, right when it seemed as though affirmative action would last at least another 25 years as Justice O’Conner meant it to remain, the Roberts Supreme Court reversed using race for achieving racial assignment purposes.
Chief Justice Roberts speaking: “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”
No talk-radio gloating now Neal Boortz over your prophecy: “Affirmative action” will end when whites become the minority in this country.
In the United States of America a U.S. Citizen can never be in “the minority” as an American. Thankfully the Roberts Court got it right in protecting the rights of the “Reality Correct” majority-minority: The individual.
Is it black or white that commits crimes, or is it the individual who commits the crime?
The NAACP can bury every word in the book if they want to, but the government in its’ agencies, the demographers in their statistics and we as a people collectively in American society will be standing right by the gravesite, with pick and shovel firmly in hand, ready to dig every darn one of them up all over again, in using terms like: “People of color”, “those of others RACES” and “the minority”.
Keeping it real Mr. Badie, as you like to say but on a rather very personal note:
I was told often as I was growing up, that if you mistreat someone like a dog they will in turn bite you just like a mistreated dog.
If Gwinnett is to transition from the downwards slide into a trend of an upwards climb then blaming in the strictest of sense “the entirety” of someone’s ancestry or the color of their skin for the crimes they’ve committed as individuals is a very slippery slope upon which to attempt an ascent.
We will need every law abiding citizen and every “legal alien” regardless of ancestry or skin color to focus in on the united fight against personal negligence, deteriorating standards and criminal acts.
By Ray
August 12, 2007 3:17 PM | Link to this
So he moved here in 1997. Mr. Neives is part of the problem. From 1993-2004, Wayne Hill and his cronies let any homebuilder put up the cheapest home and/or apartment they wanted to. The County did nothing to promote commercial growth that would bring high paying jobs, i.e. less traffic (shorter commute times) and higher property values. Now we are paying the price. Chairman Charles Bannister is trying to reverse this trend, as he has cut residential growth by 20% in his tenure and brought the residential/commercial growth rate back in line with one another.
The problem is that Wayne Hill’s old bosses want Lorraine Green as chairman so they can have their “Wayne Hill” again.
By buck
August 12, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
i lived in snellville from 1980 till 2002 never seen a city go down so fast am thankful i was able to escape the mexican invasion
By topaz
August 12, 2007 6:25 PM | Link to this
I have stayed in Gwinnett for the fight. The problem includes Chris Long of the police department stating that tall grass and lawn parking is “low priority” for the QOL. Try to call the non emergency police about cars parked every which way on a street or about noise, and suddenly you are getting the third degree. “Why does it bother you?” “You need to try to ignore it” “My talking to them will only make it worse”. It would be nice if the police were interested in resolving some of these issues. I’ll stay and fight, but I feel very alone.
By Charlie Bronson
August 14, 2007 12:18 AM | Link to this
topaz, You ever watched “Deathwish”? How about “Taxi Drive”? Come on, make us proud.
By Travis Bickle
August 14, 2007 12:24 AM | Link to this
June twenty-ninth. I gotta get in shape. Too much sitting has ruined my body. Too much abuse has gone on for too long. From now on there will be 50 pushups each morning, 50 pullups. There will be no more pills, no more bad food, no more destroyers of my body. From now on will be total organization. Every muscle must be tight.
Listen, you f#&!%rs, you screwheads. Here is a man who would not take it anymore. A man who stood up against the scum, the c&%ts, the dogs, the filth, the s@#t. Here is a man who stood up.
By TM VEGA
August 18, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
THE CHURCHES ARE ALSO BECOMING ROTTEN-An open letter to the congregation of Sugarloaf United Methodist Church regarding the supretious depature of of the former Senior Minister. I SAY TO YOU ALL WE HAVE BEEN LIED TO AND DUPED!!!
The admission of immoral activities by the Reverend Ted Haggard (NEA) is a symptom of a greater problem plaguing American religious life. More often we read of church scandals on the internet and view them on news. While I believe that the vast majority of clergy in America tend to practice what they preach, sadly it appears a growing number tend to see their “sacred calling” as simply a business venture. They take their moral obligations far too lightly and in doing so abuse their special social standing and religious authority. When less publicized instances of a sexual nature between clergy and female congregants or staff is reported to the hierarchy of a church it tends to be label as adultery. The incident is suppressed with the offending clergy quickly removed under the guise of protecting the congregation and but in effect limiting the legal liability of the church. This practice must stop and it’s should be identified as sexual exploitation and handled for its true criminal nature. Reverend Patricia Liberty sums it up best in her paper “ Why It’s Not An Affair .” She states that clergy have responsibility to use “the special knowledge, skills, and psychological resources for the benefit of those they serve.” She goes on to say that “it’s the clergy’s responsibility to establish and maintain healthy relationships with their congregation and staff because they carry moral and spitual authority” which is easily abused when coucling those in crises. Far too often the trust of female congregates and staff is brutally violated by clergy not necessary looking for the sexual experience but to feed their perverse need for power and control. When a member of the clergy abuses their authority the betrayal experienced by the victim, family and congregation is immense. However, covering it up and allowing the offending clergy to simply walk away unscathed for the good of the congregation is an even more monstrous transgression. The malaise reflected by congregation members and church heigharcy that dismiss the offending minister with little or no disdain and as “it’s none of their business” is also malicious. As congregants of any religious denomination we must exercise our social responsibilities as a community and educate ourselves to the signs of sexual exploitation and clergy abuse. If clergy know that they are being scrutinize and understand they will be held accountable in the secular as well as spiritual world for their immoral behavior then maybe this sad trend will end. WAKE UP AND STOP THE LIE NOW!!!